The love that you are in essence begins to express, naturally, as compassion for everything and everyone, for you know that it is all YOU.

And you don’t just know or believe it intellectually. You know it through and through.

Then you’ll begin to see that this you, this essence that exists prior to manifestation, is what unfolds or emerges AS as your life, including you as a thinking, acting human being. (This is the level at which we work and play during a Holographic Emergence™ session. This you, and these subtle layers that are the blueprint for what manifests.)

And you experience your life as one giant playground, full of all kinds of new experiences!

Help Along the Way: Amazing Resources

I’ve come to this over time primarily with the remarkable guidance of 2 enlightened beings.

1) Eckhart Tolle. I can’t recommend his work enough. I’ve read his books several times, each time getting something deeper and richer. I listen to his audios over and over, again hearing or absorbing exactly what’s needed to keep me moving each day toward this state of BEing.

2) John Sherman. His work at River Ganga is extraordinary. Without him, I don’t think I’d have really gotten even what Eckhart offers. His teaching is one-pointed, i.e. Look at Yourself. It’s through this extremely simple practice that I have really grokked who/what I am. I mean really, really got it, to the core. I no longer simply experienced the stillness. It became clear that that is what I AM, and that stillness is ultra-aware. It’s pure consciousness. It’s awareness. It’s me.

Both Eckhart and John illuminate in a new and accessible way what the Eastern Masters have been saying for millennia. I spent quite a long time immersed in Eastern philosophy. The world they so beautifully describe is nothing short of heaven on earth. (Have you ever read the Upanishads? They’re breathtakingly beautiful!) I’ve meditated for decades and meditation is, of course, helpful.

But it wasn’t until I became aware of these two and dove deeply into their teachings that I was able to actually access it; to benefit in a meaningful and profound way, and to really begin to become more consciously this Light that we all are.

Lucid Living

I was introduced to this idea many years ago by Timothy Freke. He talks about our life as a lucid dream. (A lucid dream is one in which you know you’re dreaming while you’re in it. You can then make conscious choices.)

And my point about lucid dreaming is that even if it’s a scary dream, when you know you’re dreaming, you can enjoy it!

But whether a dream is lucid or not: Who is it that’s experiencing the dream? It’s YOU.

And as you know, your dream can’t hurt you. You are truly not at stake in it. You’re just experiencing it.

It’s the same with “real life“.

And whether your dreams are lucid or not, your life ideally is.

A lucid life means that at some level you are “awake” and aware enough to not be totally caught up in your story. At that level of consciousness, you can watch this life as if it’s a dream.

You really are not at stake in it. At least, not the real you, the YOU that you are in essence. You are immortal and cannot be touched by it in any way, shape, or form.

I’ve been working with this idea — that we are not at stake — for several years, and I now know it in my bones. You might know it as well. You’ll certainly know it when you “die”, but if you can believe this now, OH, how much more pleasant your life can be!

Still, I’m not asking you to believe this if you don’t want to. It’s great if you do, for life becomes a fascinating adventure rather than something threatening.

But even if you don’t, then for the sake of experiencing the release I’m suggesting, just see if you can pretend to believe it for now.

Row, row, row your boat Gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily. Life is but a dream.

Yesterday’s Nightmare

I’ve been so frustrated lately.

I went to the doctor a few months ago for an annual physical. I was very clear that was all I wanted, nothing more.

I’m now getting notices that I was charged for a LOT more.

I spent the last month being routed around to 10 different people trying to find out who to even talk with about this.

I finally hit on the right guy, only to find out that he doesn’t return calls. When I finally caught him “in”, he made phone appointments with me which he just didn’t bother to keep. Yes, he stood me up! Twice! I’m trying to find someone else to talk with but that’s been a dead end.

I’m feeling hung out to dry and completely powerless.

So that’s my story.

Today’s Lucid Dream (aka Life!)

But you know what?

It’s just a story!

It’s life!

And that’s okay!

No, I’m not going to drop it. I’m tenacious.

But the way I’ve found to work with it so as not to be completely frustrated and angry is to remind myself that it’s all a dream.

I am determined to continue to act with integrity. I am determined to not let him or that dysfunctional facility ruin my day — or even one more precious moment.

I mean, it’s a beautiful day, and I’ve got so much to be grateful for, not the least of which is this amazing adventure called life, whatever it brings, right?!

And so, I play with the idea that this is just a dream … and you can do this too.

It’s a different level of dream than you have at night, but still a dream. One difference is that at this level, things actually make their way into what we know of as form, as manifestation.

But it still doesn’t hurt you. It can’t possibly.

When you’re able to remember this (i.e. be lucid, and at some level awake, and know you’re not at stake), it helps you be present for the adventure.

In my example, it’s hard even for me to believe but I found myself actually enjoying the call I made to him this morning, telling his message machine that I didn’t appreciate being stood up. Yes, enjoying! And I don’t mean gloating, nor being “above it all”. I mean being totally there, allowing Presence to direct my words spontaneously, and appreciating it as part of this life I get to live.

And it wasn’t so bad!

And I’m not upset today. (Hallelujah!)

Dream Your Holiday

So I wanted to share this idea with you.

I know that over the holidays, especially, we can get stressed out even more easily than at other times of the year.

And this is a great way to turn stress into productive play.

To change our habits of upset.

To turn any kind of a nightmare into a dream.

It feels great, and I dare say that in my experience, it also helps what we think of as “the future” to unfold most gracefully.

Your Turn

So what do you think?

Do you buy it? If not, do you see how pretending to buy it and then acting accordingly might help?

Are you willing to try it?

I’d love to hear.

*´¨)
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•` ¤ Sweet dreams! ♥

Just in time for the new year!

Leonie Dawson has just come out with her 2013 Creating Your Incredible Year Workbooks + Calendar package.

She’s an inspired artist and wise soul, and all her work is just so upbeat and fun. The workbooks and calendars package helps you become aware of and make progress on your goals (and much more), and is full of her uplifting and colorful artwork. I’ve already looked through mine and can’t wait to dig in!

• What do you love? What do you enjoy? What leaves you feeling inspired? Notice how your energy opens up.

My Comments

OK, yes, I’m going to do it. I’m going to disagree with Sonia on a few nuances.

1. I think our spirits are a part of us (a more subtle version of our physical bodies), but I don’t think we are our spirits.

I think that our essential nature is even more basic than our spirits.

She says our spirits are all different (i.e. hers is fiery, some are calm, etc.) and as I understand it, she is speaking of something that is manifesting at some level. If it weren’t it wouldn’t have characteristics, even subtle ones. (Then during the practice video, she says that our spirits are all the same spirit, which sounds a little like a contradiction to me. I do agree we are all one, but our spirits exist as subtle energy bodies and are not the same spirit any more than our left thumbs are the same thumb.)

I think that at our core, we are pure consciousness. That might not even be the right word for it, but it’s a beingness that doesn’t have any “qualities” that we can perceive. It doesn’t change at all that I can tell. It’s always the same.

And I said I “think” that, but I’ve come to that idea through experience. It’s not just something I read or heard.

2. I’ve been playing with getting the word “unbound” (or something similar) into my tagline. I take all her talk about us being unlimited as an encouraging nudge.

3. Another slight disagreement. I used to agree that life is a school, but now I’m not so sure.

I think we’re here to simply participate and enjoy (I like the Sanskrit word “lila” for this, the divine play) even more than we are here to learn and grow. We automatically grow and evolve just by being.

4. I agree that at our core, we’re immune. I don’t know that I believe our “spirits” are totally immune. Our spirits are still energy patterns (albeit subtle ones) and still subject to impermanence. Our basic selves are not; they are — or it is — immortal.

So, all that said, sometimes I “look at me”, or sometimes to my spirit. It depends on the application.

What do you think about the concepts she talked about?

This Week’s Practice

Here are a few more notes I jotted down when I watched the second Week 1 video:

Breathing brings you into spirit frequency. When in ego, you hold your breath.

Breathe

Share a breath with several different people (or pets). There’s only one spirit. (Here’s where I saw that contradiction I mentioned above.)

Notice how doing this lifts your vibration and opens your heart.

Energize yourself with breath when you’re in ego.

My Experiences this Week

First, I did pay more attention than I would have if I were just doing this on my own, so thanks to all of you who jumped in to do this with me! I do think I got more from it as a result.

I made it a point to revisit the idea that I am not this personality; I am much more essential and basic than that. And more than just revisiting an idea, I actually did more of the “Looking” this week.

Monday I found myself in a total funk. Total. Funk. (On Weds. before Thanksgiving I impulsively decided to take Monday off. Now I know why! I knew at a deeper level than my conscious mind did that I was going to need it!)

I felt really pissy but at some level was still compelled to examine what was going on. I also did some Emergence which included some Channeling about it, and the results of that session were marvelous. Within the next few hours I just kept feeling better and better.

I took some time to do the breathing like Sonia suggested. I did notice that when I was upset in some way, my breathing was shallow … and I was in ego frequency like she said. When I focused on my breathing, and on breathing deeply, I was able to easily get in touch with my spirit as she described it. It felt good.

Your Turn

What do you have to say about the concept? What were your experiences? Can you make any suggestions or have some ideas for others?

Anything goes!

Please feel free to reply to each other, and maybe we can get a discussion going. (If it’s especially substantial, I’ll make a post out of it.)

If you’re not working the course, you can still jump in with your thoughts. And next week you might want to join us!

Also, since this is the first week, I’m playing around with the format of this weekly discussion/report post. Fellow-ettes: Let me know if you want to see something different.

So today I want to share a little *magic* with you that can increase the chances of that happening in your life. Auto-magically.

I hurt my shoulder a few months ago. My chiropractor says it’s my rotator cuff, and that I need to baby it so it can heal. So I’ve been doing that … But I don’t see much improvement. If anything, I keep re-injuring it.

The other day, I decided it’s time I work a little magic with it. That can mean a lot of things to me (as you may know), but in this case I mean that I’m going to practice some Holographic Emergence with it. (And I just finished an astonishing session. Very fun.)

A Little Magic Does the Job

I have every confidence doing this will make a big difference.

Years back I developed bothersome TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint disorder; quite the mouthful). It was painful and had become chronic. After I’d had it for years it was recommended to me that I have surgery. Yikes. No way. I decided to get to work.

I used a combination of Matrix Energetics and Reiki on myself. Amazingly, I didn’t even have to do too many sessions (I did regular Reiki for awhile, maybe about 10 treatments, and about 3 or 4 Matrix sessions, all over about a 4 month period) before I simply forgot about it and later realized that the TMJ was gone. Completely gone! This was a few years ago and it’s never returned.

And so, it’s foolish of me not to do a similar thing with my shoulder.

Synchronicity as Confirmation

But here’s the cool thing. The morning I decided to do this–and to perhaps blog about the process–I was walking Ollie (our sweet old lab) and decided to listen to some Deepak Chopra on my MP3 player.

OMG! Talk about synchronicity! Everything he said was such an affirmation of what I’ve experienced ever since beginning my practice of Matrix Energetics. And to me it said “Do it!” It also said to share it.

It’s one thing to be familiar with the ideas, but when you live them, that’s when the real magic happens.

Some Magical Ideas from Deepak Chopra

So, without further ado, I want to share some of Deepak’s statements with you. They’re from his 5 CD audio set “Magical Mind, Magical Body“, and I’m only 1/2 hr. into it but I can already recommend it. (And I love that he sounds so excited as he talks about these things. It makes for an involved listening experience.)

• Health is not just the absence of a disease, it’s a joyfulness that should be inside us all the time. It’s a state of positive well-being, which is not only physical but emotional and ultimately even psychological and spiritual.

[Note: You can use that simple idea with great effect. Every time you feel frumpy, repeat the idea to yourself that you are well and express well-being and you'll feel an instant shift.]

• The body is not a frozen sculpture, it’s a river of energy and information. … You can not step into the same flesh and bones twice.

• You replace 98% of all the items of your body in less than one year.

• There is a deeper reality to the body and that deeper reality is what we want to see because from that deeper reality comes both the mind and the body. Both come from that deeper level of existence.

• A physicist would say: “Our atoms are particles that are moving at lightening speeds around huge empty spaces, they emerge from something which is just a field of pure potentiality, just a field of pure energy, and from that field these particles emerge. They’re fluctuations of energy and information. They emerge from a void. They rebound, collide, and then disintegrate into the void.”

• We have a thinking body. And you can’t imprison the mind in the brain. That’s an old notion, that the mind is confined to the brain. The mind is in every cell of our body.

• You can’t even confine the mind to your physical body because it extends beyond your physical body into the whole universe. We are part of a thinking conscious universe that is basically a non-local field of information. We can call the universe a non-local field of information and energy with which this local expression (which we call the physical body) is exchanging energy and information.

• It’s estimated that the average person thinks about 60,000 thoughts a day … and 95% of the thoughts you have today are the ones that you had yesterday. So you keep creating the same patterns that give rise to the same physical expression of the body. If you go to a deeper level, witness the whole process, become conscious of it, then you’d realize that in fact there are choices here.

• What we do is we take that chaos of energy soup, we ingest it through our 5 senses, and then we convert that into a physical reality in our own awareness, in our own consciousness. And we do it unconsciously most of the time that results in certain interpretations that are part of a cultural indoctrination.

• There’s one part of you that doesn’t change. If you find that part of you that doesn’t change then you’ll be able to cause transformations in that part of you that does change.

[Note: Deepak uses the word "you" but then goes on to complicate it. You can discover that part of you that doesn't change easily and simply. Just visit John Sherman's website and take advantage of what he so generously offers.]

• Now if I said the mind is omniscient it would sound sort of mystical. That it knows everything, it’s omnipotent, it’s omnipresent, it would sound almost like I’m talking in mystical terms. But in fact, in scientific terms, that’s an accurate statement.

• Now once we recognize that — even to have the insight — is to begin to cause transformations in your body. A person’s body is nothing but an expression of all the ideas they have about it.

• If there’s a fluctuation that changes at deeper levels of energy and information then it causes, spontaneously without having to do anything, you don’t have to brainwash yourself about this. You just have to have the insight. And the insight itself causes the changes.

Patterns of Light and Information

So, these are some of the ideas I use — that have become a part of me — as I work with my shoulder. Or more accurately, this pattern of light and information that I perceive as a shoulder.

Like Deepak says, recognizing this reality helps create a transformation all by itself. It’s what gives us a lot more power than we think we have otherwise.

I’m in the midst of a bit of a health scare, and have been finding myself examining just what this thing called life actually is, and what it means to me. Of course, I’ve done this before, but situations like this (and on the tails of just having lost my sweet Jasmine) bring a sudden raw clarity about how precious and fleeting our lives are that just isn’t always there otherwise.

On Roses and Poo

We’ve all heard the expression “Stop and smell the roses”. This is great advice. Some of us have gotten really good at it, too.

The problem comes when we get a whiff of poo. I have yet to hear the expression “Stop and smell the poo.” And just for the record, I’m not exactly suggesting that.

But what I am suggesting is that you do stop and appreciate that you can smell the poo. (And the roses too, I suppose. )

Now, Law of Attraction people (of which I am one, to a degree) would say that the poo provides contrast so you can become more aware that you want roses. That you don’t have to settle for poo but instead can attract roses. This may be.

Life and Its Content

But even at best, the Law of Attraction still only addresses the content of your life. As fun as it may be to learn how to attract roses instead of poo, you’re still just playing in a world of manifestation. Of content.

And by content, I mean everything that appears to be other than your unchanging true nature, your essence. That includes your thoughts, emotions, psychological makeup, energy body, physical body, etc. Even these that seem so close are content.

And life itself is bigger than just content. Much bigger.

The real thrill is learning how to relate to that content so that you can appreciate the richness of it all. All of it. Even the poo.

To be really alive, no matter what.

A poo-free life of roses sounds nice. But even if possible, would it be? Really? Would life be anywhere near as interesting with no challenges, no “negatives”, no poo?

Embrace It All

By far, the best practice I’ve run across (and I’ve run across plenty) in this regard was discovered by John Sherman of River Ganga.

The simple practice he teaches pulled me out of the quicksand of what was becoming an alarming depression after a few huge blows that left me gasping for air.

The need to keep a distance from your own life, the need to maintain a wary watchfulness over what’s coming and going in your own life … that need vanishes. It just goes away.

And life is revealed to be what it’s always been, which is an endlessly challenging, rewarding adventure that is deeply interesting in its own right; that is unpredictable, wondrous; that consists of problems and solutions, desires and aversions that come and go, that have no effect other than to capture our interest.

And as I continue to do “the looking” as he calls it, my relationship with this fascinating thing called life continues to improve.

John’s simple approach is radical and powerful, and he is a generous and humble man. I can’t recommend him enough.

And if you go to his site, I’d love to hear what you think.

The Privilege of Life

On a related note, my sweet, 79-years-young friend Christopher Foster of The Happy Seeker is launching his course today titled “How to Look (and Feel) 10 Years Younger in 4 Weeks”. Christopher has a beautiful spirit and much experience and wisdom about how to fully embrace life.

But aging isn’t an enemy. And it doesn’t need to be a drag. It’s a privilege, rightly.

Christopher Foster (from his new course)

I was lucky to be able to review his course materials and can tell you that if you actually do this course you will come away with useful insights and new habits that can make a marked improvement in how you experience life — no matter what your age.

I just know you’ll love his simple yet profound wisdom, and this world will be a better place because of his sharing of it.

“We’re here to live this storm of wild wonder that is the unfolding of phenomena within our minds, within our consciousness. And when the fear of it goes, then our reception of it is wondrous beyond belief.”

A few nights ago, I was kneeling on the living room floor with our two dogs as they vied for and got my full attention. The little old slobbery boxer nuzzled under one arm while the goofy, angora-soft lab pushed his way under the other. Multi-colored Christmas lights sparkled around the window, and the hauntingly beautiful, other-worldly music of Cirque du Soleil’s Saltimbanco filled the room.

Suddenly I found myself having an experience of rapture. Tears rolled down my cheeks and I felt that movement around my heart. You know the feeling – that humming like there’s an earthquake starting in there? I could barely contain myself.

I was simply and excruciatingly thrilled to be alive. Intensely and unreservedly alive. And every cell in my body was bursting with the wonder of it.

Don’t you just love it when you feel such appreciation for the gift of being alive?

Embrace the Storm of Wild Wonder

It’s not that I was happy because I have my precious dogs, am in a warm & cozy house, am married to the love of my life, or any/all of the obviously positive gifts that have been bestowed upon me.

I was happy even though I don’t have a fancy house, I lost my life saving a few years ago, I’m a basket case when it comes to being productive, and despite all the apparently difficult or challenging situations that have presented themselves.

As far as I could tell, I was happy because I was saying yes to it — to all of it — fully and completely. I was momentarily allowing myself to fully embrace life without the fear that is so often lurking around in the nooks and crannies. I was without the often-present sense that I am somehow at stake here. I wasn’t keeping life at arm’s length for fear that I would be hurt. I wasn’t judging some things as good and others as bad.

This means saying yes to the adventure. For me right now that’s to the launching of a brand new career at the ripe old age of 56. For you, of course, it’s whatever comprises your adventure; those things that excite you and challenge you at the same time.

But at an even deeper level, we say yes to trusting enough in the now to let go of control (as if we ever had control anyway).

We say yes to being alive in a world where everything changes every minute and every second. Where nothing is ever the same from one blink of the eye to the next. Where the unknown looms hugely in front of us, and there are no guarantees.

We say yes to allowing the living, breathing being that we are to be fully alive and to shine its light gloriously in each and every moment.

Dissolve the Fear

Of course this exhilarating fearlessness occurs in our lives from time to time. But isn’t it always rather fleeting? Lately, it’s becoming much less so for me, and more and more a part of who I am.

I’m sure that’s in large part because just over a year ago I discovered a simple – dirt simple – process that has been slowly but surely dissolving the fear, just as promised.

This fear-dissolving process consists of a simple act of looking. Looking at yourself. And I don’t mean psychologically or emotionally. I don’t even mean spiritually. I mean looking at who or what you are at your core. The simple nature of you.

And you don’t even have to see who or what you are, or understand it. You just have to look. And if you do this periodically, then over time the fear melts away.

Is that amazing or what?

I’ll continue to share on this blog what it feels like to have the existential fear of life gradually disappear, and the significant impact it’s had on my experience of life.

I’ll also share more about how you can do it even though I’ve already said it all (yes, it really is that simple).

For now though, if you’re interested in learning more, you can hear it from the proverbial horse’s mouth at River Ganga Foundation. John and Carla Sherman offer a bounty of information in the form of transcripts, audios, videos, and their book Look at Yourself.

I’ve been a spiritual aspirant all my life yet this is a whole new paradigm from anything I’ve ever come into contact with. I highly recommend you check it out.

What are you saying yes to, or what might you want to say yes to that you’ve not? Please share!

If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe, and share it on Twitter and with your friends. Thank you!

Disclosure

There is no paid advertising on Lightspirited Being. However, I do participate in a few affiliate programs where I earn a small fee if you make a purchase after clicking through one of my links. But rest assured, I only recommend books and products I absolutely love! Thanks for reading and helping make this site sustainable.